Annual Conference Report:

Witnesses of a New Thing

Clergy and Lay members of the California-Nevada Annual Conference gathered on Thursday, June 15^th to begin the activities for the 175^th Session of the Annual Conference in Sacramento.  This year, the session events began on Thursday and closed on Sunday to recognize Monday’s Juneteenth observance, now a federal holiday.

Sue Dickey, Laurel Williams, and Pastor Sunae came back inspired and challenged to share the work that we’ve done with our leadership, both clergies, laity, and the conference staff under the leadership of our Interim Bishop Sally Dick.  In the midst of the United Methodist Church experiencing the church disaffiliation, our own Bishop Minerva Carcano’s suspension, church closures, and membership decline, as well as church plants and how our churches are bringing God’s “sozo”, salvation, and redemption here and now, we were reminded that even then, even now,….God is doing new things in our lives.  Come friends, join us as we hear the Annual Conference Session report and give thanks to God.

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“A Father’s Unconditional Love”

God as Father/Parent/Jesus is a compassionate and loving God who welcomes everyone, regardless of who they are and What they are.  God as Father/Parent/Jesus’ unconditional love reclaims and restores full relationships with the lost, who return home to God with a humble heart.  Come and join us.

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The Beatitudes are filled with paradoxes. For example, the kingdom belongs to the poor in spirit, not to those with spiritual bravado.  The meek, not those who are easily provoked, will inherit the earth.  Following these and other beatitudes, Jesus goes on to say, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy”. (Matthew 5:7)  Jesus calls us blessed and happy when we are merciful to others.  Come friends, let us reflect on “mercy” this Sunday. 

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We continue our journey on Jesus’ sermon on the mount, the Beatitudes.  Jesus calls us blessed when we have a deep and burning desire for righteousness- all things set right.  Personal and social holiness/wholeness. Rev. Dr. Dale Tremper will be preaching this Sunday.  He will affirm some of the recent grants given through the UM Board of Church and Society and conclude with the story of his call to ministry through the life and death of MLK Jr.  Come and Join us.

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The feast of Pentecost invites us as a church to celebrate the presence of the Spirit everywhere, in everyone and everything God has created.  Psalm 104 begins this song of praise:  “O Lord, how manifolds are your works!  In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.”  (Psalm 104:24). The invitation expands our hearts as we see, hear, taste, and are touched by God’s Spirit sent forth by the risen Christ.  The gifts of the Spirit are passionately unleashed, and our world is changed, set afire, awakened! 

O Holy Spirit is still moving in and through us and the whole of God’s creation.  

This Sunday Satu Sheriff and Stanley Houston will be sharing how the Holy Spirit is moving in their lives.  We invite you to wear the Holy Spirit color as you come to service; and as you are choosing your outfit, I invite you to prayer, “Come, Holy Spirit, I am here.”  Join us.

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The last Sunday in our three-week Stewardship Worship Series.

May 21, 2023 – God’s Promise of Abundance

We’ve reflected on God’s generosity and Stewardship.  God’s promise of abundance is the third core theological affirmation shaping our relationship with money and possessions.  Our abundant God is all-sufficient and overflowing – a God who created a bounteous world and desires that all people experience the fullness of life in every possible way – physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, and material.  This is why Jesus said, “I came so that they might have life, and have it abundantly”. (John 10:10)

Abundance is the beginning and the end of the scripture; it is God’s desire for all creation. God promises to meet all our needs in Christ Jesus. 

This Sunday, Kate Wilson and Lisa Radspinner will speak on their stewardship story, serving our church.  Come, friends, let us worship God together. 

Please see the Stewardship Commitment Information here.

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